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Showers, winds & storms are increasing across the tropics & central WA in a developing monsoon & a deepening tropical low north of the Pilbara & trough over WA. Southerly winds, large waves & showers persist in NSW's east & NE, tending to storms into SE QLD. Settled elsewhere.
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Today, 8:10AM UTC
Rain, fierce winds end Sydney Big Bash showdown
We warned yesterday that wild weather could cause disruptions to the Big Bash showdown between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at the SCG this Friday night. It turns out that was a bit of an understatement. Before the game could even begin, cricket fans in the Bill O’Reilly stand had to be evacuated when part of the stand’s roofing began to detach in fierce winds, eventually falling into the seating bays. No one was injured and, according to a statement from Venues NSW, cricket-goers were then provided with alternative seating in another grandstand. But that wasn’t the end of the match’s woes. After two rain delays, which saw staff battling against wild winds to keep the cricket pitch covers on, an official decision was made to call off the match entirely after only 5.1 overs. The inclement weather, brought about by a low pressure system off the NSW coast, downed trees and power lines, leaving tens of thousands of people without power in the greater Sydney and Hunter regions for the second time this week. Wind gusts of 90-110 km/h were recorded in and around Botany Bay yesterday afternoon and evening, including a 93 km/h gust at Sydney Airport and a 109 km/h gust at Molineux Point. Wind gusts of 85 km/h were recorded at Sydney Observatory Hill and Fort Denison. Gusty winds of around 100 km/h were also observed between the Illawarra and the Hunter yesterday, including gusts of 101 km/h at Murrurundi and 100 km/h at Bellambi and Norah Head. Gusty conditions then continued over the Hunter into the small hours of Saturday morning, seeing 106 km/h gusts at Cabraburra and 94 km/h gusts at Nobbys Beach near Newcastle. Rain also became intense over parts of the Hunter and the Mid North Coast on Friday night into early Saturday morning. In the gif below, you can see the swirling clouds indicating the approximate position of the low pressure system off the northern NSW coast in the afternoon, with cloud bands sending heavy rain over the Hunter region throughout the night. Image: 12-hour radar and satellite loop between mid-afternoon on Friday, 17 January, and the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, 18 January Some notable observations include: 146 mm at Comboyne in the 6 hours to 2:07 am 116mm at Barrington Tops in the 6 hours to 2:40 am 90mm at Nabiac in the 3 hours to 2:06 am Daily rainfall totals to 9am this morning were also some of the highest seen in January for several years in some areas, including: Mount Seaview (117 mm): wettest in 12 years, and also the wettest day of any month in almost three years Taree (79 mm) and Williamtown (66 mm): wettest in 9 years Scone (19mm): wettest in 3 years Heavy rainfall will shift north into Sunday, with some areas on the Mid North Coast already seeing rainfall in excess of 100mm since 9am this morning. This is consistent with forecast rainfall amounts into late morning Sunday, as seen below: Image: Accumulated rainfall to 11am AEDT on Sunday, January 19, according to the ECMWF model. The good news is that the low pressure system responsible for all this wild weather is beginning to weaken and is expected to dissipate offshore tomorrow morning, just to the east of the NSW-Qld border, bringing welcome relief to those in eastern NSW.
17 Jan 2025, 3:49AM UTC
Tropical cyclone likely to form near Pilbara coast
A developing low pressure system off Australia’s northwest coast has a high chance of becoming a tropical cyclone this weekend. Two separate areas of low pressure lying off the northern coast of WA are expected to consolidate into one low pressure system by Saturday. This low is likely to gain strength during the weekend as it draws energy from abnormally warm seas sitting off the Pilbara coast. Image: Enhanced water vapour satellite images showing cloud building around two areas of low pressure to the north of WA on Friday, January 17, 2025. Forecast models suggest that the low will track towards the west-southwest and build in strength this weekend and early next week, with a high risk that it will become a tropical cyclone on Sunday or Monday. Most computer models suggest that the soon-to-be tropical cyclone should remain away from the WA coastline between now and at least Monday. However, it could still pass close enough to cause and increase in wind and rain for part of the Pilbara. It’s also important to point out that tropical cyclone movement is notoriously difficult to predict, even more so when the system hasn’t yet formed. Image: Tropical cyclone likelihood according to the ECMWF ensemble model. The colours show the probability that a tropical cyclone will pass within 300km of a given location within a time window of 48 hours. Source: ECMWF At this stage, anyone in WA’s Pilbara and Gascoyne regions should pay close attention to the latest forecasts and warnings over the coming days. Details can change frequently with these developing tropical systems. If this low does develop into a tropical cyclone, it will be the second cyclone to form in the Australian region so far this season, and it will be named Sean.
17 Jan 2025, 12:32AM UTC
Wild winds, heavy rain, hazardous surf in NSW
It has been a big week of weather for Australia's most populous state of NSW. After a massive band of storms crossed the state on Wednesday, a low off the coast is now generating strong winds, rain and hazardous surf to coastal districts, especially from Sydney to the Qld border. Dangerously strong wind gusts started to lash the Sydney region and parts of southern NSW approaching lunchtime on Friday. Observations included: A gust of 119 km/h at Watamolla in the Royal National Park on Sydney's southern fringe just before midday. That's the strongest gust recorded there in almost six years, while the sustained wind speeds of 102 km/h were the strongest in almost a decade. A 93 km/h gust was recorded at Sydney Airport just before 1pm. Kurnell (opposite the airport on the southern shore of Botany Bay) recorded a 96 km/h gust just after 12:30pm. Just after 11am, the Bellambi weather station in Wollongong recorded a 98 km/h gust. It's also super windy in southern inland parts of the state – with gusts also topping 90 km/h at Cabramurra in the Snowy Mountains. Image: Three-hour radar and satellite loop on Friday morning with swirling clouds indicating the approximate position of the low centred off northern NSW. Meanwhile numerous warnings are in place, including: A severe weather warning for damaging winds and heavy rainfall for the Mid North Coast and parts of the Hunter, Metropolitan, Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes and Plains forecast districts. A warning for damaging surf for Sydney Metropolitan, Hunter, Illawarra & Mid North Coast. Multiple warnings for gales and/or strong winds all the way along the NSW coast and extending to the Gold Coast and eastern Victoria. The low pressure system causing the dangerous weather is currently sitting off the northern NSW coast. While its effects in terms of winds and hazardous surf extend well beyond that region, Friday’s rainfall will be heaviest in the general vicinity of the low in northern NSW. Heavy rainfall, possibly leading to flash flooding, is forecast for the northern Hunter and Mid North Coast forecast districts, particularly on Friday afternoon and evening. The BoM estimates that six-hourly rainfall totals between 70mm and 120mm are possible, with the heaviest falls likely on elevated terrain. For Sydney, rainfall should be less intense than further north, but showers are expected to increase in the afternoon and evening period, meaning there could be weather disruptions to the Big Bash local derby between the Sydney Sixers and the Sydney Thunder at the SCG, starting at 7:15 pm. On this wild wet and windy Friday in coastal NSW and nearby areas, please check the latest on the Weatherzone warnings page for the latest updates. And for cricket fans seeking the latest info for weather in the vicinity of the SCG, our Sydney page has everything you need.